KYVL: How to do research tutorial: Search Syntax for Life!

If search syntax is specific to the particular information source we use, what is it that we know that continues to be useful regardless of the particular attributes of any given search engine or database we use…?

Although the symbols and search fields may change, there are certain common elements in search techniques:

Truncation
Boolean operators
Phrase or proximity searches (i.e. contiguous words)
Free text vs. specific field searches
Keyword vs. subject searches

There are also basic steps that are common to constructing any search query:

Define your topic. What is it you want to know and how can it be best described?
Choose your keywords. Take time to reflect upon the most specific and discriminating keywords that describe your topic. Write them down.
Organize your keywords. Group your keywords that are synonymous or logically related into distinct concept threads. For example, consider the following search question: "what kind of full-text documents are available on the World Wide Web?"
	World Wide Web	documents	full-text
	WWW	resources	"full text"
	Web	publications	full adj. text

Truncate and trim. Consider truncating your keywords in order to maximize access to all relevant derivative words.

Add Boolean logic. Choose the Boolean operator that either expands (or) or narrows (and, not) your search as appropriate.

Test your search statement. Compare your search statement with at least three other statements derived from your original set of keywords, creating varying combinations of synonyms that describe what you want to search for.

	Keyword(1)	+	Keyword(2)	+	Keyword(3)		Keyword(4)
1	World Wide Web	AND	documents	AND	full-text

2	WWW	AND	resources	AND	"full text"

3	Web	AND	publications	AND	full	ADJ	text

Improve your search statement. Now you can look at ways of strengthening your search by improving the search terms you use. If you can't think of alternative keywords or synonyms, consult a thesaurus.

Unit 1: Doing Research: 8 of 8

(alternative text navigation)

Last updated: Friday, 02-Jul-2004 16:57:44 EDT

How to Do Research